The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-27


from laying hand upon the dead. I would be in
constant fear that the dead mans hand would
seize and hold me fast No. would rather
work hard for a month for the money"
Il will give you twenty pesos" urged Manuel.
when there are two of us together need
not be afraid of the dead But alone, | ac-
knowledge. should have been little squeamish
myself"
But you have already done such things
added Juan anxiously.
"What possible sin can it be to haul up a cada-
yer for doctor who make good use of t?'
asked Manuel contemptuously. What is the
difference whether he rots down there or helps
science up here9 Besides, any priest will give
you absolution for one peso"
Juan shook his head.
NO. he said with shudder. 'sNo, not for
fifteen ounces of gold even if my life depended
upon them, would lay my hands upon the dead
The thought of 1t would follow me night and day
and make mad"
Nonsense laughed Manuel zone glass of
good. strong old wine would drive all such fool
lsh ideas away. Never in your life have you
earned twenty pesos so easily"
Il don't want them" persisted Juan; ''they
would scorch my soul"
Manuel was silent but he did not attempt to
conceal his chagrin ard annoyance.
''All right" he said finally, eff you don't want
to earn the money can't compel you. But" he
added, threateningly, IF you speak to any one
about"
II will not betray you Manuel said Juan
quickly. you know me. Perhaps it would not
Do Gin, but shudder comes over me when |
think of it."
when you helped me that time with the
horse" laughed Manuel. you were not so
troubled"
But l repented sadly enough and then swore
solemn oath never again 10 earn my bread but
by honorable upright work AT any rate
can eat and sleep with quiet conscience"
You are fool juan" said Manuel sneering-
ly.. What kind Of holiday can you have with
out money! But if you don't wish to help your
self, all right, that's your business"
lie put his left foot into the great wooden
stirrup. swung himself lightly into the saddle,
and rode off along the heights. Juan stood
awhile looking down after Don Manuel left him,
and seemed to be absorbed in gloomy thoughts
and recoections which their conversation had
called up. He had almost forgotten his brother,
who still held fast to his poncho Finally Pablo
said in a low, appealing voice:
Juan, brother Juan"
Juan turned slowly toward him, but the next
moment exclaimed, 'Ah, poor Pablo. That
scoundrel struck you didn't he2 1t is all swollen
up. Does it pain you much nowW
Across Pablo's head through his thin hair
could be seen bright red swollen mark But
Pablo only shook his head.
THAT is all right" he said. ri forge. every
thing very quickly. but L don't forget what
owe that fellow. But, Juan. you are not going
with him, you9'
Juan looked at him aStonished moment but
then it occurred to him that his brother had
overheard everything that Manuel had said for
neither of them had paid any attention to the
alfwitted boy.
mo, Pablo, don't trouble yourself" said
Juan, quietly. II shall not 60 with Don Manuel,
and will have nothing more to do with him"
Something like smile passed over the feat
ures OF the half witted boy.
That is right" he said, she is murderer
Evory night Ricardo comes to my bed, and begs
me TO avenge him.
That's only in your dreams, Pablo said
Juan, good naturally. 1.-The judges have de-
clared Don Manuel nnocentP
That's because they would not believe me-"
cried Pablo fercely; ''the lawyer asked me so
many mixedup questions that everything
whirled in my head, and az last / could not say
one word but I was standing right there when
he plunged his knife into Ricardo's back and
now the poor fellow has no quiet in his grave,
aud-does not let me seen.'
Poor Pablo" said Juan, sympathetcallv:
throw away such thoughts and come over to
the tent with me and drink glass of wihAn
NO., cried Pablo, mot to-day. Not ANYTHING
to-day. for it would confuse The hump
backed Pedro is dead They made sport Of him
while he lived, just as they do Of me- and am
going with him to the graveyard tonight and
there can look at the place to which will soon
be going myself
pablo don't say such foolish things" begged
his brother Come ard drink a glass of wine,
then we will go home. IT you are going with
the poor cripple you must lie down and get a
little sleep and will awaken at 10 or IL o'clock.
viii that suit your
Pablo thought little while and finally it
seemed as though he had hardly forgotten his
previous refusals, and he said, ''ShaIl we not 90
and drink glass OF wine? Come, am thirsty
my head burns like fire. But it is all right ali
right Juan. I must sleep quietly hereafter. or
Ricardo will torture me to DEATH" and without
waiting for an answer he started off ahead of his
brother toward refreshlnent tent.
1t was midnight. the hour when. in Chilli, it is
the custom TO bury the dead. Every ship in the
harbor or Valparaiso, which a death has oc
CURED sents of a boat at eight bells to the land
and the sailors carry their dead comrade up the
steep road TO the summit of the cliff to his last
resting place. But this night there was no
boat landed, and the vessels in the harbor,
were only discernbe BIZ the lights here and
there in the darkness. AT II O'clock, however
q long procession accom- panied by torch bearers
and musicians, took its way from the city
slowly up the road to the hill of the dead. I'm
media.ely behind this train, which accompanied
q rich hearse of of the upper classes fol-
lowed four men carrying open coffin, and
accompanied by single mourner The dead man
rad evidently been very poor. not even was the
coffin his own property but belonged to the city
In such boxes are the paupers of the republic car
RED to the graveyard. There, in literal sense
| dumped out into a great common hole, and the
| coffin returned to the dead-house till the next
| night. The bearers, when occasion offers at
! tach themselves to large procession in order to
| give their burden the benefit of the pomp and
ceremony. At the edge of the yard from
| the broad bay, thu two professions separated
The four bearers went diagonally across the
| grave yard to distant, almost unused part not
| far from tower-like building which resembled
| a round, white chimney. Here was large hole
| "a quadrant ular ditch como ten or eleven feet
| deep and about five yards square. Beside this
| the bearers set down the bier They lifted up
one side of the coffin and rolled the body out
] One ran down ladder into the pit, while the
other three, with difficulty. carried the
body down the ladder into the hole Then they
land 1t IN Its place in the row of corpses at the
bottom of the pit. The single mourner who had
accompanied the poor fellow to his last resting
| place sat, MEANWHILE on the edge of the grave
| Tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked down
the dark hole The four workmen soon soram-
! bled UP the ladder. and taking up the bier start
ed off toward the town. The mourner sat BY